By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    health benefits of taking a vacation to reduce stress
    Relaxing European Destinations to Reduce Stress Risks to Health
    October 11, 2021
    pain management tips
    Managing Pain Differently: Alternative Pain Management Techniques
    January 12, 2022
    5 Ways to Promote Wellness in Your Home
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    What To Expect On A Meditation Retreat In Miami
    February 6, 2023
    Botanical Extracts That Should be on Your Health Radar
    February 5, 2023
    Navigating Medical Care as a Wheelchair User
    February 4, 2023
    4 Common Myths and Misunderstandings About Brain Injuries
    February 5, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Kratom – a Solution for Opioid Addiction?
    February 5, 2021
    English: U.S. President delivers the while sta...
    Obama to Congress: Quality, not Quantity of Care
    February 13, 2013
    Is The Future Of Injectable Drug Delivery In Needle-Free Devices?
    February 16, 2021
    Latest News
    Why Is a Referenced Based Pricing Tool Necessary?
    February 3, 2023
    Simplifying the Genetic Testing Process: How At-Home Kits are Changing the Game
    January 25, 2023
    9 Hospitals That Have Introduced Green Initiatives
    February 1, 2023
    Why a Health Retreat Can Be the Best Medicine
    January 12, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Evidence based defensive medicine
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Latest News
meditation retreat
What To Expect On A Meditation Retreat In Miami
Health
Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Career
Botanical Extracts
Botanical Extracts That Should be on Your Health Radar
Health
Navigating Medical Care as a Wheelchair User
Navigating Medical Care as a Wheelchair User
Health
common misconseptions about brain injuries
4 Common Myths and Misunderstandings About Brain Injuries
Health
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Diagnostics > Evidence based defensive medicine
Diagnostics

Evidence based defensive medicine

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: 2016/01/15 at 9:00 PM
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

 

ID-100150831

Defensive medicine –when physicians provide or recommend unnecessary treatment or testing in order to reduce their chance of being sued– has always bothered me. It harms the patient, drives up costs, and can be self-serving by generating more income for the provider. I’m also skeptical about whether “defensive” medicine really reduces the chances of being sued.

 

More Read

photo of hands with blue veins

8 Proven Tips on Finding Difficult Veins

How Do I Prove Delayed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis?
Best Hospital to Treat Prostate Cancer
New Medical Laboratories Are the Key to Diagnostics Research
How Rapid Blood Testing Solves Blood Lab Wait Time Issues

ID-100150831

Defensive medicine –when physicians provide or recommend unnecessary treatment or testing in order to reduce their chance of being sued– has always bothered me. It harms the patient, drives up costs, and can be self-serving by generating more income for the provider. I’m also skeptical about whether “defensive” medicine really reduces the chances of being sued.

So I was very interested in a Today’s Hospitalist article (Does defensive medicine work after all?) that reports the results of an intriguing study of hospital admissions in Florida. The study, conducted by a Harvard Medical School professor, revealed that physicians who were responsible for the most expensive hospitalizations also had the lowest likelihood of being sued (0.3% vs. 1.5%).

There are plenty of limitations –correlation isn’t causation, it’s based on hospital admissions only, maybe the doctors in the high and low spending groups aren’t comparable, etc. — and yet it does give one pause. Maybe doctors who order more tests and treat patients more intensively really do get sued less. Could it be that patients and families are less likely to sue if they feel that everything has been done for them?

The findings have serious implications, especially as we leave the era of fee for service medicine and enter the age of accountable care and capitation. Will it be possible to get physicians to be less defensive in the name of cost savings? Is it fair to do so? What role should the patient and family have? Do we in fact need some kind of liability reform?

Dr. Anupam Jena, lead author notes that malpractice is bother under and over-stated. Malpractice costs are routinely reported at only 3-5 percent of total costs, yet physicians also say malpractice is a major concern. My own suspicion is that there’s only a limited correlation between real malpractice and what physicians actually get sued for.

Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

—

By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

 

TAGGED: defensive medicine, Malpractice, Physician

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
DavidEWilliams January 15, 2016
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article Pharmacy Trends | Top 5 Pharmacy Trends for 2016
Next Article Should Patients Consult Dr. Google?

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

meditation retreat
What To Expect On A Meditation Retreat In Miami
Health February 6, 2023
Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Guide To Pursuing a Career in Nursing as a Foreigner in the USA
Career February 5, 2023
Botanical Extracts
Botanical Extracts That Should be on Your Health Radar
Health February 5, 2023
Navigating Medical Care as a Wheelchair User
Navigating Medical Care as a Wheelchair User
Health February 4, 2023

You Might also Like

get a first report on injury after an incident
DiagnosticsNews

What’s a First Report of Injury or Illness Form?

September 12, 2022
The Top Benefits of a Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
DiagnosticsHealth

The Top Benefits of a Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor Watch

June 13, 2022
DiagnosticsRemote Diagnostics

6 Innovative Technologies Making Medical Diagnostics More Predictive

February 16, 2022
DiagnosticsTechnology

10 Essential Things Every Bio Lab Needs To Have

February 15, 2022
//

We influence million of users and is the most authentic source of information on healthcare business and technology news.

Quick Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US

© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?